I had the most wonderful last week! I went with Doctors on Tues. and Nurses on Wed. to do rounds in the villages (home visits and setting up clinics in the villages)! I loved doing medicine outside, in the beauty of nature, in people's homes, and in the quiet and peace of the villages...it's hard to explain, but I could see myself doing that!
We did a lot of antenatal exams and I of course enjoyed to be able to feel the women's belly and listen to the baby's heart beat. There was also a lot of health maintenance (HTN, diabetes, COPD, asthma etc.), making sure people are taking their meds., referrals to the hospital, and follow ups from the hospital. We saw some cool things like chicguru dz.(I spelled that wrong), rheumatic heart dz., mumps, and well baby exams (getting to hold the babies was awesome).
CMC/CHAD has spent 26+ yrs. mapping out all the villages around this area and serving them and referring them to the community hospital (CHAD). They also tell all the women to go there to have their babies where they also perform the C-Sections, tubals, and other surgeries.
There was a undergrad who went with me on Tues. from Virginia and she was very cool. She was taking a yr. off to work on the Mercy ships, come here, and then go to Uganda! How awesome! I still would love to do the Mercy ships. Then today there was a med. student who's going into Family Med. from Denver with me and we had so much in common...Jesus, ministry, traveling, sports etc. It was a blessing to have fellowship. The Docs and nurses have been so friendly and during our lunch break the Indian Docs and nurses all sang Indian songs and worship songs! Too cool. =)
I went swimming in a nice pool that is just around the corner from the campus...an oasis for the foreigners & the missionary families.
I've been super tired. My days are long but so good. I just love doing medicine outside and in homes!
My last day was at the Leprosy hospital which I will have to blog about later because there is so much I learned.
We've been traveling and touring like crazy since Friday with early and late hours on trains, planes, and auto rickshaws! We've been to Chennai, Delhi, Jaipur, and now Agra! Crazy with very little sleep.
I have lots of stories that I look forward to sharing. Please keep praying for protection b/c we had a very scary experience in Delhi.
Scott wasn't traveling with us yet, and I am so glad he is now b/c touring with just girls is unsafe.
I am exhausted but am glad to be seeing the sights.
I saw the Taj Mahal today and it was incredible!!
I also road and elephant today..haha!
I want to come back and see the beautiful places in India (ie the Himalayas and Kerla)!
God is teaching me through Matt 8-10 recently. Will have to share more later.
So much overwhelming poverty here (sheep without a shepherd).
Please pray for continued safety as we travel. I will blog more later in the week and upload more pics!
More Verses:
Matt 6:25-7:12
Ps. 107:9b,14,16,18-22
rom 8:28, 1peter 1:3-5
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Pics
I'm slowly putting pics on a snapfish account!
http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=213478095/a=119916684_119916684/t_=119916684
I don't know if you can open this so if you want to see them please email your email address to speedycc@aol.com.
Thanks!
http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=213478095/a=119916684_119916684/t_=119916684
I don't know if you can open this so if you want to see them please email your email address to speedycc@aol.com.
Thanks!
Ending week 2
Hello!
Last week was a very good learning experience. I saw so many severe pre-eclamptic patients which is so sad because they have to induce labor to help the mom, and the babies often don’t make it b/c they are pre term. We also saw a patient with TTP, forceps deliveries, an ECV (external cephalic version ie rotating the baby from breech to cephalic) that worked, and a patient with anemia. Also, there is a belief by the women here that they shouldn't give blood (and don't like to). This causes there to be quite a shortage of blood which can then cause some tension within the hospital (especially when a pregnant women needs blood and none of her relatives will donate).
I was sad to leave L&D because the nurses, staff, and patients were very nice. I am blessed to be able to learn here even if it can be very sad at times.
For the weekend we all went to Mamallapuram to enjoy the beach in the Bay of Bengal. We had to be very careful and keep covered if we were not in the ocean b/c the Indian men just walk up and down the beach staring at the foreign women. It was a blessing to get away and relax after a busy week. I also feel God restoring my joy.
This week I am at the CHAD hospital which is the community hospital for the CMC. I enjoy that I can walk to the clinic that I am working at because it is just down the road.
I also like the clinic b/c it is open air and you feel as though you are outside which is great now b/c the weather is very pleasant (70's and 80's)! They do everything here, and also take weekly trips to the local villages which I will do Tues. and Wed. There is a missionary doctor from the states that works there so I hope to talk to him this week.
On Thurs. I am going to the Leprosy clinic that Paul Brand (the scholarship that I received) helped to start up.
I just started reading his book “The Gift of Pain” which I highly recommend!
I found out a lot of disturbing statistics today at the clinic meeting.
The suicide and murder rate (with in the family) is very high here. Last month there were 58 suicides that were reported to the CHAD clinic- the causes are poisoning, hanging, and burning. This is very sad and difficult for the clinic to know how to change and approach.
Some other things I saw in clinic today:
A young girl with neurocysticercosis, tropical pulmonary eosinophilia, depression, hypertension, menorrhagia, and lots of pregnany women. Children with rheumatic heart dz, fevers, colds, and hypothyroid.
Some verses for the week to experience God's grace: Rom 12:1, ps 51:10, ro 3:24, 1john4:9-10, john 3:16-18, col 2:13-14, john 15:15
Have a great week! I enjoy hearing from you all! Thank you for your prayers and support!
Random thoughts:
The most dangerous thing to do here is cross the street.
I eat rice with every meal and am becoming fond of the flavored rice: esp. coconut rice. We had some yummy crepes too! There are also bougainvillea plants all over, which reminds me of Harlingen.
Last week was a very good learning experience. I saw so many severe pre-eclamptic patients which is so sad because they have to induce labor to help the mom, and the babies often don’t make it b/c they are pre term. We also saw a patient with TTP, forceps deliveries, an ECV (external cephalic version ie rotating the baby from breech to cephalic) that worked, and a patient with anemia. Also, there is a belief by the women here that they shouldn't give blood (and don't like to). This causes there to be quite a shortage of blood which can then cause some tension within the hospital (especially when a pregnant women needs blood and none of her relatives will donate).
I was sad to leave L&D because the nurses, staff, and patients were very nice. I am blessed to be able to learn here even if it can be very sad at times.
For the weekend we all went to Mamallapuram to enjoy the beach in the Bay of Bengal. We had to be very careful and keep covered if we were not in the ocean b/c the Indian men just walk up and down the beach staring at the foreign women. It was a blessing to get away and relax after a busy week. I also feel God restoring my joy.
This week I am at the CHAD hospital which is the community hospital for the CMC. I enjoy that I can walk to the clinic that I am working at because it is just down the road.
I also like the clinic b/c it is open air and you feel as though you are outside which is great now b/c the weather is very pleasant (70's and 80's)! They do everything here, and also take weekly trips to the local villages which I will do Tues. and Wed. There is a missionary doctor from the states that works there so I hope to talk to him this week.
On Thurs. I am going to the Leprosy clinic that Paul Brand (the scholarship that I received) helped to start up.
I just started reading his book “The Gift of Pain” which I highly recommend!
I found out a lot of disturbing statistics today at the clinic meeting.
The suicide and murder rate (with in the family) is very high here. Last month there were 58 suicides that were reported to the CHAD clinic- the causes are poisoning, hanging, and burning. This is very sad and difficult for the clinic to know how to change and approach.
Some other things I saw in clinic today:
A young girl with neurocysticercosis, tropical pulmonary eosinophilia, depression, hypertension, menorrhagia, and lots of pregnany women. Children with rheumatic heart dz, fevers, colds, and hypothyroid.
Some verses for the week to experience God's grace: Rom 12:1, ps 51:10, ro 3:24, 1john4:9-10, john 3:16-18, col 2:13-14, john 15:15
Have a great week! I enjoy hearing from you all! Thank you for your prayers and support!
Random thoughts:
The most dangerous thing to do here is cross the street.
I eat rice with every meal and am becoming fond of the flavored rice: esp. coconut rice. We had some yummy crepes too! There are also bougainvillea plants all over, which reminds me of Harlingen.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
OB
Delivery room is going well! It's very sad and hard when pre-term babies don't make it. And we see a lot of high risk pts. Today we delivered from a woman who has TTP with very low platelets and it was a bit of a scare when she wouldn't stop bleeding due to her disorder. Praise God that He helped her to recover (after blood and fluids).
(Correction to my previous blog...they do use pain meds. every 6 hrs.)
(Correction to my previous blog...they do use pain meds. every 6 hrs.)
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Jan. 13-Jan. 16
Hello from Vellore,
Sunday was relaxful which was a blessing. I didn't sleep much the first week so it was nice to sleep in! We have a mini Mt. or a big hill next to the college so we all hiked to the top to get a great view of the city. We also ate lunch at some nice hotel's this weekend to enjoy some really good Indian food. They have a church on campus so we went to the 6pm service in English and it was a physician speaking which was awesome. He talked about Phil 2:5-11 and how our attitude should be like Christ and not the world. Christ made Himself humble unlike us who can become more prideful as we progress in our training. He asked: "How have we shown love to others or do we demand love? Christ overflowed with love, not expecting it back.... We can never love Him to the extent that He loves us... Do we have a getting or giving attitude? Also, we need to evaluate and expose our lives and attitudes to bring change so that "streams of living water" can flow through us..."
It was very insightful and a good reminder for me because it is more difficult to have a good attitude in new situations.
OB (OG here) has been very cool! I've gotten to deliver about 4 babies, assisted on c-sections and two uterine ruptures(one the baby lived and the other died), and got to do my side of a tubal ligation! It's been a bit slow at times, but great learning. The other med students, nurses, and attendings have been very nice which is a huge blessing. We have patients with ITP, lots of pre-eclampsia, and many other high risk problem. They do things a bit different here (for example no pain meds. and they only do vaginal checks every 4-6 hrs. depending on the stage of labor), but I actually think some of their methods are a bit better way of doing things.
It's a holiday week here (the Harvest festival) and so they closed all the computer labs since Sun. So I haven't been able to upload pics yet, but hopefully will be able to soon.
Please pray for patience, open opportunities to show and share Christ's love, and for a joyful spirit.
Verses:
Matt 9:12-13
Mark 9:16-28
Jeremiah 32:17
Psalm 139
Sunday was relaxful which was a blessing. I didn't sleep much the first week so it was nice to sleep in! We have a mini Mt. or a big hill next to the college so we all hiked to the top to get a great view of the city. We also ate lunch at some nice hotel's this weekend to enjoy some really good Indian food. They have a church on campus so we went to the 6pm service in English and it was a physician speaking which was awesome. He talked about Phil 2:5-11 and how our attitude should be like Christ and not the world. Christ made Himself humble unlike us who can become more prideful as we progress in our training. He asked: "How have we shown love to others or do we demand love? Christ overflowed with love, not expecting it back.... We can never love Him to the extent that He loves us... Do we have a getting or giving attitude? Also, we need to evaluate and expose our lives and attitudes to bring change so that "streams of living water" can flow through us..."
It was very insightful and a good reminder for me because it is more difficult to have a good attitude in new situations.
OB (OG here) has been very cool! I've gotten to deliver about 4 babies, assisted on c-sections and two uterine ruptures(one the baby lived and the other died), and got to do my side of a tubal ligation! It's been a bit slow at times, but great learning. The other med students, nurses, and attendings have been very nice which is a huge blessing. We have patients with ITP, lots of pre-eclampsia, and many other high risk problem. They do things a bit different here (for example no pain meds. and they only do vaginal checks every 4-6 hrs. depending on the stage of labor), but I actually think some of their methods are a bit better way of doing things.
It's a holiday week here (the Harvest festival) and so they closed all the computer labs since Sun. So I haven't been able to upload pics yet, but hopefully will be able to soon.
Please pray for patience, open opportunities to show and share Christ's love, and for a joyful spirit.
Verses:
Matt 9:12-13
Mark 9:16-28
Jeremiah 32:17
Psalm 139
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Week one!
Hey Everyone!
I was on surgery this week and had a very good experience. I was told that this is probably the best teaching hospitals in all of India. The surgery department functions similarly to our medical school. We have rounds, grand rounds, surgery days, and clinic days. There are medical students and residents of all levels.
The teaching is very good and I believe because it is a Christian Medical School the surgeons were all very nice.
Wednesday:
We started out grand rounds with prayer and a Bible study which was awesome because you rarely see a group of surgeons who are willing to be open about their faith.
We read through Genesis 12:1-8 and Hebrews 11:8-17 and discussed:
1. How do we realize the purpose and significance of life?
2. What difference does it make in our lives when we realize the purpose and significance of our life and the lives of others?
We rounded for a very long time and had lecture almost all day. Then we had a trauma surgery (bowel exploration) in the afternoon (only retroperitoneal and anterior hematomas were found).
Thursday:
Very cool OR day (here it’s the OT (operating theater) and ward rounds.
We saw about 9 surgeries:
+ TSSA (four of them) which is a very common surgical procedure her for varicose veins.
+ Colostomy closure on a young girl who was in a very bad accident.
+ Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (their TV screens were just as nice as ours and all the same instruments used)
+ Femoral/ popliteal bypass
+ Brachial artery pseudo aneurysm repair (This was huge and the coolest surgery!! See photos!)
+ Aorto-bi femoral bypass
+ Testicular hydrocele
Surgery here is pretty much done the same as in the states and they seem to be up to date on the latest procedures. I wasn’t able to scrub in due to the number of residents and their medical students, but this allowed me to bop between OR’s. I also peeked in on a cleft lip/palate surgery for a bit. The only big difference is the quality of the hospital.
Friday:
We had Ward Rounds, then reviewed CT’s and CT angiograms with the radiology department, and student lectures were given:
I did my presentation on Klippel Trenaunay Syndrome, and one of the residents did theirs on chest trauma (pneumothorax, hemothorax, flail chest etc.). After, we performed lymph node biopsies and I was able to suture close one of them. =)
The afternoon was clinic which is crazy busy. It is amazing the number of people with vascular disease here. On the ward and in clinic you see so many necrotic feet and ulcers due to Berger’s dz, arterial vascular dz., thrombophlebitis, and some due to diabetes. There is also quite a bit of very bad varicose veins.
One young girl had lost both of her legs due to a vascular dz.
Even though there is a language barrier with the patients, I have found that touching them and smiling at them goes a long way. I was able to tell some of them that I would be praying for them.
Winter Symposium: http://www.wintersymposium2008.org/
This has been going on all week here at the college which has brought in an impressive group of Cardiologist lecturers from all over the world. The keynote speaker was the Nobel Peace prize winner: Laureate Peter Agre
(AQUAPORINS – Unique role of water channels in cell physiology)!
Saturday:
We got to tour the famous Fort and Temple here and enjoy some good food and be tourists for a day.
Personally:
I had a bit of frustration due to confusion with our housing, but praise God we got to move into a bit nicer of a place at the end of the week which I am truly grateful for. Everyone also got their luggage which is an answer to prayer. I am enjoying my experience, enjoy serving people through medicine, and am impressed by the quality of medicine here. God is teaching me how to love a new culture and to let go of our “American standards”. The girls on the campus have also been very nice and so I enjoy talking to them on the bus rides to and from the hospital. I truly enjoy serving people who have very little. We are student observers so we can’t do a lot, but I am just enjoying learning about the culture and people. It is also impressive that medical students rotate here from all over the world (Australia, U.K., Germany, Switzerland, etc. as student observers).
India is just very over populated, loud (the honking of horns is a bit out of control), and has a lot of traffic (so it is very dangerous just to cross the street). So it's such a blessing to come back to the College campus which is very quiet and peaceful. The random cows in the street are quite funny. I really like the colorful and comfy clothes here as well as the food. (Some of it is a bit too spicy but I’m adjusting.)
Ida Scudder’s Story: (Please read!)
She is know as their “mother” and when she died her death was grieved like no other (except maybe Mother Teresa)
Ida was the woman who started it all here!
The story of Ida Scudder's visionary mission begins in the late 1800's when she was a young American girl reluctantly visiting her medical missionary father, John Scudder, at his post in Tamil Nadu, South India. One fateful night, Ida was asked to help three women from different families struggling in difficult childbirth. Custom prevented their husbands from accepting the help of a male doctor for them and being without training at that time, Ida herself could do nothing. The next morning she was shocked to learn that each of the three women had died. She believed that it was a calling and a challenge set before her by God to begin a ministry dedicated to the health needs of the people of India, particularly women and children. Consequently, Ida went back to America, entered medical training (practically unheard of for women at that time) and, in 1899, was one of the first women graduates of the Cornell Medical College.
Shortly thereafter, she returned to India and opened a one-bed clinic in Vellore in 1900. Two years later, in 1902, she built a 40-bed hospital, the forerunner of today's 1700-bed medical center. In 1909, she started the School of Nursing, and in 1918, her fondest dream came true with the opening of a medical school for women. (Men were admitted in 1947). With the training of these women as doctors and nurses, Indian women would now begin to have access to health care professionals. This was the beginning of the vision of Ida S. Scudder which continues to grow to this day.
In addition to the care of women, Ida Scudder saw the need for bringing health care to the poor, the disabled, and the neglected of India. She traveled regularly to outlying villages, bringing medical care to the doorstep of poor villagers, many of whom had never seen a real doctor or nurse, starting CMC's first "roadside" dispensary in 1916. Over the years, these roadside dispensaries have developed into extensive rural health and development programs that have become internationally acclaimed in the Community Health field. These dispensaries have attracted members of the medical community from around the world, from young medical students to nurses to highly skilled surgeons, to study and contribute their skills.
The 100 years since Ida Scudder opened the first small clinic have seen remarkable growth. Here is an example of the daily activity that goes on there today: 2,000 outpatients per day, 1,000 inpatients, 43 operations, 22 clinics, and 16 births. Ten Bible Classes are held each day and 380 patients are visited by a Chaplain. In addition, there is the work of CHAD, CONCH, and RUSHA, which go out to the villages and rural areas bringing methods of disease prevention, health care and community empowerment to tens of thousands more. Started with one woman and her vision, CMC employs over 4300 people today.
But, the story of CMC is not merely growth, high tech surgery, and medical degrees. It is the story of people sharing their time and talents in a loving and caring manner. Throughout its history CMC has taken up each new task in response to Christ's command. In the words of Ida Scudder, ";we thank God for the way He has led us in the past and look forward to an even greater future."
Hope all is well at home.
Some verses that have spoke to me: 1Thess 5:23-24, 2 Corin 12:9, Matt 5:3, Jeremiah 32:17, psalm 23, Psalm 27:13
Isha (Jesus in Tamil)
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:17-19)
Prayer: For a joyous and accepting spirit. For a way to show the people here that I care even though I can’t communicate with them. For personal growth and change.
Other Blog sites with very cool stories too!
Rachelhassan.blogspot.com
Paulbgravel. blogspot.com
Rebeccavellore. blogspot.com
Kathrynfick-indiatrip blogspot.com
itinerantinindia blogspot.com
I was on surgery this week and had a very good experience. I was told that this is probably the best teaching hospitals in all of India. The surgery department functions similarly to our medical school. We have rounds, grand rounds, surgery days, and clinic days. There are medical students and residents of all levels.
The teaching is very good and I believe because it is a Christian Medical School the surgeons were all very nice.
Wednesday:
We started out grand rounds with prayer and a Bible study which was awesome because you rarely see a group of surgeons who are willing to be open about their faith.
We read through Genesis 12:1-8 and Hebrews 11:8-17 and discussed:
1. How do we realize the purpose and significance of life?
2. What difference does it make in our lives when we realize the purpose and significance of our life and the lives of others?
We rounded for a very long time and had lecture almost all day. Then we had a trauma surgery (bowel exploration) in the afternoon (only retroperitoneal and anterior hematomas were found).
Thursday:
Very cool OR day (here it’s the OT (operating theater) and ward rounds.
We saw about 9 surgeries:
+ TSSA (four of them) which is a very common surgical procedure her for varicose veins.
+ Colostomy closure on a young girl who was in a very bad accident.
+ Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (their TV screens were just as nice as ours and all the same instruments used)
+ Femoral/ popliteal bypass
+ Brachial artery pseudo aneurysm repair (This was huge and the coolest surgery!! See photos!)
+ Aorto-bi femoral bypass
+ Testicular hydrocele
Surgery here is pretty much done the same as in the states and they seem to be up to date on the latest procedures. I wasn’t able to scrub in due to the number of residents and their medical students, but this allowed me to bop between OR’s. I also peeked in on a cleft lip/palate surgery for a bit. The only big difference is the quality of the hospital.
Friday:
We had Ward Rounds, then reviewed CT’s and CT angiograms with the radiology department, and student lectures were given:
I did my presentation on Klippel Trenaunay Syndrome, and one of the residents did theirs on chest trauma (pneumothorax, hemothorax, flail chest etc.). After, we performed lymph node biopsies and I was able to suture close one of them. =)
The afternoon was clinic which is crazy busy. It is amazing the number of people with vascular disease here. On the ward and in clinic you see so many necrotic feet and ulcers due to Berger’s dz, arterial vascular dz., thrombophlebitis, and some due to diabetes. There is also quite a bit of very bad varicose veins.
One young girl had lost both of her legs due to a vascular dz.
Even though there is a language barrier with the patients, I have found that touching them and smiling at them goes a long way. I was able to tell some of them that I would be praying for them.
Winter Symposium: http://www.wintersymposium2008.org/
This has been going on all week here at the college which has brought in an impressive group of Cardiologist lecturers from all over the world. The keynote speaker was the Nobel Peace prize winner: Laureate Peter Agre
(AQUAPORINS – Unique role of water channels in cell physiology)!
Saturday:
We got to tour the famous Fort and Temple here and enjoy some good food and be tourists for a day.
Personally:
I had a bit of frustration due to confusion with our housing, but praise God we got to move into a bit nicer of a place at the end of the week which I am truly grateful for. Everyone also got their luggage which is an answer to prayer. I am enjoying my experience, enjoy serving people through medicine, and am impressed by the quality of medicine here. God is teaching me how to love a new culture and to let go of our “American standards”. The girls on the campus have also been very nice and so I enjoy talking to them on the bus rides to and from the hospital. I truly enjoy serving people who have very little. We are student observers so we can’t do a lot, but I am just enjoying learning about the culture and people. It is also impressive that medical students rotate here from all over the world (Australia, U.K., Germany, Switzerland, etc. as student observers).
India is just very over populated, loud (the honking of horns is a bit out of control), and has a lot of traffic (so it is very dangerous just to cross the street). So it's such a blessing to come back to the College campus which is very quiet and peaceful. The random cows in the street are quite funny. I really like the colorful and comfy clothes here as well as the food. (Some of it is a bit too spicy but I’m adjusting.)
Ida Scudder’s Story: (Please read!)
She is know as their “mother” and when she died her death was grieved like no other (except maybe Mother Teresa)
Ida was the woman who started it all here!
The story of Ida Scudder's visionary mission begins in the late 1800's when she was a young American girl reluctantly visiting her medical missionary father, John Scudder, at his post in Tamil Nadu, South India. One fateful night, Ida was asked to help three women from different families struggling in difficult childbirth. Custom prevented their husbands from accepting the help of a male doctor for them and being without training at that time, Ida herself could do nothing. The next morning she was shocked to learn that each of the three women had died. She believed that it was a calling and a challenge set before her by God to begin a ministry dedicated to the health needs of the people of India, particularly women and children. Consequently, Ida went back to America, entered medical training (practically unheard of for women at that time) and, in 1899, was one of the first women graduates of the Cornell Medical College.
Shortly thereafter, she returned to India and opened a one-bed clinic in Vellore in 1900. Two years later, in 1902, she built a 40-bed hospital, the forerunner of today's 1700-bed medical center. In 1909, she started the School of Nursing, and in 1918, her fondest dream came true with the opening of a medical school for women. (Men were admitted in 1947). With the training of these women as doctors and nurses, Indian women would now begin to have access to health care professionals. This was the beginning of the vision of Ida S. Scudder which continues to grow to this day.
In addition to the care of women, Ida Scudder saw the need for bringing health care to the poor, the disabled, and the neglected of India. She traveled regularly to outlying villages, bringing medical care to the doorstep of poor villagers, many of whom had never seen a real doctor or nurse, starting CMC's first "roadside" dispensary in 1916. Over the years, these roadside dispensaries have developed into extensive rural health and development programs that have become internationally acclaimed in the Community Health field. These dispensaries have attracted members of the medical community from around the world, from young medical students to nurses to highly skilled surgeons, to study and contribute their skills.
The 100 years since Ida Scudder opened the first small clinic have seen remarkable growth. Here is an example of the daily activity that goes on there today: 2,000 outpatients per day, 1,000 inpatients, 43 operations, 22 clinics, and 16 births. Ten Bible Classes are held each day and 380 patients are visited by a Chaplain. In addition, there is the work of CHAD, CONCH, and RUSHA, which go out to the villages and rural areas bringing methods of disease prevention, health care and community empowerment to tens of thousands more. Started with one woman and her vision, CMC employs over 4300 people today.
But, the story of CMC is not merely growth, high tech surgery, and medical degrees. It is the story of people sharing their time and talents in a loving and caring manner. Throughout its history CMC has taken up each new task in response to Christ's command. In the words of Ida Scudder, ";we thank God for the way He has led us in the past and look forward to an even greater future."
Hope all is well at home.
Some verses that have spoke to me: 1Thess 5:23-24, 2 Corin 12:9, Matt 5:3, Jeremiah 32:17, psalm 23, Psalm 27:13
Isha (Jesus in Tamil)
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:17-19)
Prayer: For a joyous and accepting spirit. For a way to show the people here that I care even though I can’t communicate with them. For personal growth and change.
Other Blog sites with very cool stories too!
Rachelhassan.blogspot.com
Paulbgravel. blogspot.com
Rebeccavellore. blogspot.com
Kathrynfick-indiatrip blogspot.com
itinerantinindia blogspot.com
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Thank you all for your replies. It's nice to get messages since it's weird not to be receiving texting or calls. My first day on surgery was very interesting. We had clinic all day and saw huge hernias, obstructive jaundice, Klippell Trenaunay Syndrome (Which is apparently very common and I had never heard of it. Due to my lack of knowledge I am assigned a discussion on it for tomorrow!), breast cancer, ulcer perforations, varicose veins, lots of anal fissures, TB abscesses and gut tubercles, foot ulcers,etc. The attending was very nice and in the afternoon we did minor procedures (I got to assist). I feel a bit like I'm at camp.
I don't have much time today but I've been reading through Matthew because I have felt distant from God and reading Jesus' life always draws me near. So my verses for you all to read if you want are Matt. 4:23-5:16 because I feel that I am experiencing this here . I will write more later. Love you all!
I don't have much time today but I've been reading through Matthew because I have felt distant from God and reading Jesus' life always draws me near. So my verses for you all to read if you want are Matt. 4:23-5:16 because I feel that I am experiencing this here . I will write more later. Love you all!
Monday, January 7, 2008
I've arrived.
Hey Everyone,
I made it here safely. It was an good trip here (a bit interesting in Delhi). We are getting oriented today and will start on Tuesday. The place we are staying is hard to describe but I think it is nice (others might disagree). It is open air with buckets for a shower, but I like it that we feel as though we are in the forest.(Yes, there are monkey's in the tree's.) The college campus is very pretty with trees, trails, and pretty flowers, and the buildings are very old. But, it is a nice oasis from the craziness of the city and the hospital. It is definitely a culture shock and eye opening.
India is probably similar to Mexico and Africa in that it is very dirty, poor, over populated and run down. You don't see any, what we would call "nice" buildings and the streets are all dirt which if different from American standards. Traveling wasn't so bad (24 hrs. of plane, a hostal, another 3 hour plane ride from Delhi to Chennai and a 2 hour drive to Vellore). We arrived in Vellore at about 4pm on Sunday. Our hostal we stayed at was a bit sketchy in New Delhi & we were moved to another hostal b/c they were run by the same guy(interesting). I'm learning just to go with the flow and to have light expectations. We slept fine and had a nice breakfast. Life here is very simple and our accommodations would be comparable to what people in Mexico live in, but I like the open air and not having to worry about cleaning everything. The people here are very nice and seem like very gentle people. We have also learned minor things that will help the next group.
I really like the women's "sari's" and other attire. They are beautiful colors and super comfy so we bought a few "sari" like dresses so to wear to work so we look appropriate.
I will be rotating at in surgery this week, OB my second week, and medicine/ CHAD(village medicine) my last week. The hospital is huge and flooded with patients and so I am eager to start tomorrow.
I have also had time to spend with the Lord in the morning (due to loud Indian/ Hindi music playing at 4am) which is refreshing. I'm just praying God will allow me to accept the culture and people with out judging eyes. Their way of life is different and you realize how ridiculously spoiled we are in the states, and our obsession with cleanliness and new things.
I really like the food. Lunch was yummy rice and vegetables, and dinner was a crepe and egg layered together. There is also a store where we can get normal snacks and cereal. I am looking forward to starting tomorrow.
Please pray for acceptance, to go with the flow, and to not be frustrated by the language barrier.
Please pray for Rachel, Paul, and Rebecca b/c their luggage was "lost" and isn't here yet.
I am so blessed to be here and for this experience.
smiles in Christ =)
I made it here safely. It was an good trip here (a bit interesting in Delhi). We are getting oriented today and will start on Tuesday. The place we are staying is hard to describe but I think it is nice (others might disagree). It is open air with buckets for a shower, but I like it that we feel as though we are in the forest.(Yes, there are monkey's in the tree's.) The college campus is very pretty with trees, trails, and pretty flowers, and the buildings are very old. But, it is a nice oasis from the craziness of the city and the hospital. It is definitely a culture shock and eye opening.
India is probably similar to Mexico and Africa in that it is very dirty, poor, over populated and run down. You don't see any, what we would call "nice" buildings and the streets are all dirt which if different from American standards. Traveling wasn't so bad (24 hrs. of plane, a hostal, another 3 hour plane ride from Delhi to Chennai and a 2 hour drive to Vellore). We arrived in Vellore at about 4pm on Sunday. Our hostal we stayed at was a bit sketchy in New Delhi & we were moved to another hostal b/c they were run by the same guy(interesting). I'm learning just to go with the flow and to have light expectations. We slept fine and had a nice breakfast. Life here is very simple and our accommodations would be comparable to what people in Mexico live in, but I like the open air and not having to worry about cleaning everything. The people here are very nice and seem like very gentle people. We have also learned minor things that will help the next group.
I really like the women's "sari's" and other attire. They are beautiful colors and super comfy so we bought a few "sari" like dresses so to wear to work so we look appropriate.
I will be rotating at in surgery this week, OB my second week, and medicine/ CHAD(village medicine) my last week. The hospital is huge and flooded with patients and so I am eager to start tomorrow.
I have also had time to spend with the Lord in the morning (due to loud Indian/ Hindi music playing at 4am) which is refreshing. I'm just praying God will allow me to accept the culture and people with out judging eyes. Their way of life is different and you realize how ridiculously spoiled we are in the states, and our obsession with cleanliness and new things.
I really like the food. Lunch was yummy rice and vegetables, and dinner was a crepe and egg layered together. There is also a store where we can get normal snacks and cereal. I am looking forward to starting tomorrow.
Please pray for acceptance, to go with the flow, and to not be frustrated by the language barrier.
Please pray for Rachel, Paul, and Rebecca b/c their luggage was "lost" and isn't here yet.
I am so blessed to be here and for this experience.
smiles in Christ =)
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